Letter from the Editor I’ve always loved Christmas. To me, it represents so many wonderful things -- kindness, joy, community, and (of course) the smell of Sticky Toffee Pudding in the oven. There’s something about the season that seems to bring out the best in people. As Elvis once sang, Why can’t every day be like Christmas? I often wonder that same thing.
make me excited? Something I could share with friends, or maybe something that helps me make friends. Last year, that meant basketballs and footballs, not the cheapest gifts, but the kind that invite others to join in the fun. This year, I wanted to take that spirit a step further, which is why I created the Advent Calendar of Kindness, found on page 27. Each day, you can scan one of the QR codes for a local charity. If it’s one that speaks to you, it’s easy to donate right then and there. If not, there’s always tomorrow’s square to open. And yes, one of those days comes with a special surprise and a chance to win a prize just before Christmas! Charity doesn’t stop when the decorations come down. Some organizations, like Christmas Care, help families in need at Christmas, others, like Victim Services or the YWC, help people all year long. I hope you’ll take a few minutes to explore and support them in whatever way you can. New this year, I’ve teamed up with local businesses to bring you the 12 Days of Christmas Savings! From Friday, December 5th to Tuesday, December 16th, one store will be featured each day with a special one-day promotion just for our readers. It’s a perfect chance to shop local, support our community, and cross a few more items off your Christmas list. Be sure to check in daily to see who’s featured and what they’re offering. As the old Canadian Tire ad said, “Give like Santa, and save like Scrooge!” From my family to yours, have a very Merry Christmas, a joyful holiday season, and a wonderful New Year. Thank you for reading, and for keeping the spirit of Christmas alive all year long.
Now, before I go on, I’ll preface this story by saying that I loved my dad dearly and miss him every day. But if you polled everyone who knew him, I’m reasonably confident that ‘generous’ wouldn’t crack the top ten adjectives used to describe him. Fair or not, that reputation stuck, except at Christmas. When December rolled around, my dad turned into a regular Saint Nick. Like Scrooge on Christmas morning, he’d suddenly be filled with the spirit of giving. Every year he’d find out which local kids might be in need and make sure they had a toy under the tree. He loved shopping for those kids, and he taught me one important lesson along the way: never buy a toy that needs batteries unless you’re giving a whole pack with it. Parents struggling to make ends meet shouldn’t have to choose between dinner and double-A’s. That lesson stuck with me. These days, I put my Canadian Tire Money to good use, saving it up all year to go on a Black Friday shopping spree for kids and donate what I buy to Christmas Care. I try to think like a 10, 12, or 13-year-old: what gift would
How you can win!
Hometown St. Thomas Magazine has partnered with local businesses to help share the joy of Christmas to local seniors. Search this magazine for this Santa logo, and each time you find him you will see a business who cared to share a smile this Christmas. Each of these Santas represents gifts given to local seniors through the
Smiles for Seniors at Christmas program. This year with the support of our local businesses we have been able to donate $3,000, and over five years we have given almost $17,000 in total. If you can spot all the Santas, you too have a chance to win. Count the Santas and send an email with your name, phone number and the name of this magazine to hometown@villagerpublications.com with the correct num- ber of Santas for your chance to win. On December 15th we will randomly draw one name from the correct entries and you could win a $75 Briwood Farm Market gift certificate just in time for Christmas! MERRY CHRISTMAS! Hometown St. Thomas
Hometown St. Thomas • December 2025 • Page 5
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